Machine for capping milk and other bottles and similar containers



Jan 1?, I95@ Filed May 14, 1946 A. G. ENOCK MACHINE FOR CAPPING MILK ANDOTHER BOTTLES AND SIMILAR CONTAINERS 5 Sheets-Sheet l c! A E ATTORNEYSA. G. ENOCK 2,49,94 MACHINE FOR CAPPING MILK AND OTHER BOTTLES ANDSIMILAR CONTAINERS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 14, 1946 INVENTOR m (6 @mmATTORNEYS Jan 17, 1950 A. G. ENOCK M MACHINE FOR CAPPING MILK AND OTHERBOTTLES AND SIMILAR CONTAINERS Filed May 14, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 3 C Ig E O J2 t5 5 3 4 Q i O mvemoa M MZQMIGML ATTORNEYS Jan. W, W50 G. ENOCK9 MACHINE FOR CAPPING MILK AND OTHER BOTTLES AND SIMILAR CONTAINERSFiled May 14, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 wen l l I Q2 J 5 0 il A J J2 733, L-4 W E? E2 3 E kmmnnnmun INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Jan. 17, 1950 A. G. ENOCK2,495,094

MACHINE FOR CAPPING MILK AND OTHER BOTTLES AND SIMILAR CONTAINERS FiledMay 14, 1.946

5 Sheets-Sheet 5 LEZW ATTORNEY'S R o J m W N G a H 0 0 J .f@1 0 D. 4e LQQ 1H,: ,E E UQHfiWM Q 0 Q Patented Jan. 17, 1950 MACHINE FOR CAPPINGMILK AND OTHER BOTTLES AND SIMILAR CONTAINERS Arthur Guy Enock, Thame,England Application May 14, 1946, Serial No. 669,715 In Great BritainMay 20, 1945 6 Claims. 1

This invention relatesto improvements in capping machines for cappingmilk or other bottles or like containers with caps of metal foil,plastics, cardboard or other material having a skirt which is pressedover the rim of the bottle or container.

The object of the invention is a capping machine which is entirelyseparate from the cap forming machine so that the latter may be locatedin the case of a milk bottle filling plant in a separate room orbuilding from the bottling plant and which receives the pre-formed capsstacked in a magazine which is preferably cylindrical.

According to the invention caps are lifted from a magazine by a suctionhead and transferred to the capping position means being provided forraising succeeding caps in the magazine for subsequent transfer by thesuction head.

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanyingdrawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the capping machine;

Fig. 2 is an elevation partly in section of the machine from theopposite end to that shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic plan of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an elevation of vertical shaft carrying the operating cams forthe vacuum valve;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section through the capping machine and capmagazine;

Fig. 6 is a similar view showing a cap in position for transferring tothe capping position;

Fig.7 is a part elevation of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a detail view of suction head and magazine showing means forpreventing more than one cap being lifted at a time;

Fig. 9 is a plan of Fig. 8.

The invention will be described with reference,

to a rotary capping machine provided with three bottle receivingpedestals A and having a single cappin position into which each pedestalA is rotated in turn.

A cap I is transferred as described hereafter into position in thecapping head C in which it is pressed over the bottle mouth in knownmanner by a skate C acting upon a roller C to depress a capping member Cwhich deforms a resilient ring C to mould the skirt of the cap I aroundthe mouth of the bottle. The capping head is carried by a carrier C Thepedestal A with bottle B thereon is raised to the cap squeezing leveland lowered therefrom in known manner by rollers at the lower ends ofthe pedestals running upon a ramp in the base of the machine. A handwheel A acting through a bevel wheel shaft a is provided for varying theheight above the pedestals A of a cap magazine D, cap feeding mechanismand the carrier C and its capping heads, C to accommodate bottles ofvarying heights.

The caps l stacked one on top of another are stored in a removablemagazine D with the lowermost cap resting on a plunger D capable ofbeing moved upwards through the magazine as the supply of capsdiminishes.

The caps l are transferred from the magazine D to the capping head C bya suction head E controlled by a slide E carrying rollers e engaging camtracks E mounted on the carrier of the three capping heads C. Themagazine D is carried by brackets d pivoted on a vertical rod d carryinga sole plate (1 to be capable of being swung outward for attention whenrequired.

As a bottle B approaches the capping position the rollers e engage arise in the cam tracks E to raise the slide E and suction head E andsimultaneously the bottle also contacts a lever G keyed on a verticalshaft 9 to cause this shaft to rotate through a predetermined arc. Theshaft g carries a further arm g connected to a connecting rod 9controlling a piston valve 9 sliding in a vacuum cylinder G to apply avacuum to the head E As the suction is applied to the head E it raises acap I from the magazine D. A brush or brushes e (Figs. 8 and 9) mayengage the skirt of the cap as it leaves the magazine to prevent morethan one cap being lifted at a time.

The suction is applied to the head E Fig. 6, through a pipe a Fig. 5,therein communicating with the cylinder G Fig. 3.

As the capping head carrier rotates so as to bring the capping head Ginto the position to receive a cap a bottle comes in contact with thearm G and operates the vacuum valve 9 so as to admit vacuum to thesuction head E and when the capping head C has reached this position thevacuum is broken by the arm A coming into contact with arm G and thusclosing the vacuum valve g and allowing the cap to drop on to the slide7', Fig. 5, when it is blown into the capping head C.

If there is no bottle on the pedestal it is necessary to prevent thepick-up of a cap and this is efiected by the arm G remaining stationarythus causing the vacuum valve 9 to remain closed and preventing thesucker from picking up a cap.

During the raising of the suction head E into the position shown in Fig.6 an arm J carried by a lever J moves a plate 7' over the mouth of themagazine D. The lever J is forked at one end to engage a transverseshaft 7' Fig. 5, mounted on the slide E and at its other end isadjustably connected to the upper end of a rod J the lower end of whichis connected to a link is, Fig. 7. The column of caps l is raised by theplunger D Fig. 5, which is moved upwards by friction grips K mounted ona crosshead K through the lever 70 connected to one end of the link iscarrying the lower end of the rod J If the uppermost cap is raised toohigh a hollow plunger e Figs. 5 and 6, in the suction head E pushes itdown again Whilst the friction crosshead K remains stationary due tofriction grips k travelling vertically on a cylinder W. The

pressure exerted by the friction grips k is adjusted by springs k on aspindle 70 passing through the grips k and cylinder k When the suctionto the suction head E is cut ofi" with the head in the position shown inFig. 6

the cap carried thereby drops onto the plate 7 and is blown by a jet ofcompressed air from a nozzle L in known manner through a chute Z into arecess l in the capping head ready to be applied to the bottle B by theresilient ring C.

After the cap has been applied to the bottle the slide E is lowered dueto the rollers e traversing a descending portion of the cam track Ecausing the plate 9 to be removed from the mouth of the magazine D andthe suction head E to re-enter this latter ready to engage a further capI when a succeeding bottle moves towards the capping position and againapplies suction to the sucker.

Although the invention has been described with reference to a rotarycapping machine it is equally applicable to a capping machine with thebottles arranged to approach the capping position in line.

I claim:

1. A capping machine for capping milk or other bottles comprisingpedestals for supporting the bottles, a capping head for applying a capto the bottle, a magazine forstoring the caps, a vertical slide, rollerson the slide and cam tracks mounted on the capping head in which therollers engage a suction head. actuated by the slide, av vacuum cylinderand piston valve by which the suction head is operated a platecontrolled by the slide to move over the mouth of the magazine as thesuction head rises to receive the ca when the vacuum is broken and acompressed air jet to transfer the cap from the plate to the.- cappinposition.

2. A capping. machine forcapping milk or'other bottles comprising.pedestals for supporting the bottles, a capping head for applying a cap.to the bottle, a magazine for storing the caps, a vertical slide,rollers on: the slide and cam tracks mounted' on the capping head inwhich the rollers: engage a vacuum cylinder and piston valvezby whichthe suction head is operated a rocking shaft by 6 which the vacuum isapplied: and broken and' means for rocking the shaft.

3. A capping machine for capping milk or other bottles comprisingpedestals for supporting the bottles, a capping head for applying a capto the bottle, a magazine for storing the caps, a vertical slide,rollers on the slide and cam tracks mounted on the capping head in whichthe rollers engage a suction head actuated by the slide, '8 plungeradapted to raise the caps into a position to be engaged by the suctionhead, friction grips operating on the plunger and by which it is raisedafter removal of a cap therefrom, and means for actuating the frictiongrips.

4. A capping machine for capping milk or other bottles comprisingpedestals for supporting the bottles, a cappin head for applying a capto the bottle, a magazinefor storing the caps, a vertical slide, rollerson the slide and cam tracks mounted on the capping head in which therollers engage a vacuum cylinder and piston valve by which the suctionhead is operated a plate controlled by the slide to move over the mouthof the magazine as the suction head rises toreceive the cap when thevacuum is broken a compressed air jet to transfer the cap from the plateto the capping position and: a resilient ring to mould the edges of thecap around the mouth of the bottle.

5. A capping machine 'for capping milk or other bottles comprisingpedestals for supporting the bottles, a capping head for applying acapto the bottle, a magazine for storing the caps, a vertical slide,rollers on the slide and cam tracks mounted on the capping head in whichthe rollers engage, a suction head actuated by the slide, a plungeradapted to raise the caps into a position to be engaged by the suctionhead, a brush to prevent more than one cap rising at a time, andfriction rips operating on the plunger and by which it is raised afterremoval of a cap therefrom.

6. A capping machine for capping milk or'other bottles comprisingpedestals for supporting the bottles, a cappin head for applying a captothe bottle, a magazine for storing the caps, a vertical slide, rollerson the slide and cam tracks mounted on the capping head in which therollers engage, a suction head actuated by the slide for removing thecaps from the magazine, a vacuum cylinder and piston valve by which thesuction head is operated,. a compressed air jet totransfer the cap fromthe suction head" to the capping position, and a resilient ring to mouldthe edges of the cap around the mouth of'the bottle.

ARTHUR GUY ENOCK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,173,122 Mancusose t. 1'9, 19392,187,190 Wilcox Jan, 16, 1 940

